We Were Never Given Fair Outreach. Now We're Demanding A Revote.

On December 17, 2024, the Santa Monica City Council voted to approve a 99-year ground lease and $13.5 million in public funds for a housing development in our Mid-Wilshire neighborhood. Three council members who voted had conflicts of interest, undisclosed relationships, or received campaign contributions from project partners and we didn't know until it was too late.

THE CONFLICTS THEY DIDN'T WANT YOU TO KNOW ABOUT

JESSE ZWICK: The Housing Lobbyist Who Voted on Housing. Has had a long standing relationship with Hollywood Community Housing Corporation.

Councilmember Jesse Zwick works for the Housing Action Coalition, a lobbying organization whose members include developers, architects, and housing industry stakeholders. In December 2025, the FPPC ruled he has a disqualifying conflict of interest on housing decisions.

But that's not all. Public records show Zwick was privately emailing the developer, HCHC's Sarah Letts, during City Council meetings, while residents were giving public testimony:

"I'm writing from council, where 30 mid-city neighbors are angrily denouncing the project and possessed with a lot of misinformation." - Jesse Zwick to Sarah Letts, June 25, 2024

He dismissed our concerns as "misinformation" while privately coordinating with the applicant. He even asked her which proposal she preferred, during a council meeting:

"Is this the course of action you want to pursue, or would you prefer to stick to the original proposal?" - Jesse Zwick to Sarah Letts, August 27, 2024

Zwick made the motion to approve this project. His employer lobbies for exactly these kinds of developments. This is not democracy, it’s a conflict of interest dressed up as public process.

CAROLINE TOROSIS: Senior Policy Director for LA County Supervisor Holly J. Mitchell. Her boss is the government sponsor for Hollywood Community Housing Corporation. 

Mayor Caroline Torosis works as Policy Director in the office of LA County Supervisor Holly Mitchell. According to HCHC's own website, Supervisor Mitchell's office is a government partner on multiple HCHC developments throughout LA County.

Torosis seconded the motion and told HCHC's Sarah Letts from the dais that she had "heard great things about you"—indicating a pre-existing relationship she never disclosed.

She works for the County office that partners with HCHC. She voted to give HCHC $13.5 million and 99 years of public land. She never disclosed the connection.

NATALYA ZERNITSKAYA: The Campaign Contribution Connection

Councilmember Zernitskaya received $400 in campaign contributions from John Maceri, CEO of The People Concern, the organization named in the staff report as the supportive services provider for this very project. Under California's Levine Act, elected officials cannot vote on matters involving contributors who gave more than $250 within the previous 12 months. An FPPC complaint has been filed.

OUR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT WAS COMPROMISED FROM THE START

We tried to participate in good faith. We attended community meetings. We submitted public comments. We showed up at City Hall.

But we later learned that our "community outreach" was tainted by the very interests pushing this project.

Members of the Housing Action Coalition, Jesse Zwick's employer, were involved in shaping the engagement process. The same organization that pays Zwick to lobby for housing development was influencing how our community received information about this project.

When Zwick emailed HCHC's executive director that neighbors were "possessed with a lot of misinformation," he wasn't describing our concerns—he was dismissing them. He'd already made up his mind. The community meetings weren't about listening to us. They were about checking a box.

WHY THIS MATTERS BEYOND MID-WILSHIRE

This isn't about opposing affordable housing. We support affordable housing built through lawful process.

This is about:

✅ Equal treatment. Working-class low income neighborhoods deserve the same procedural protections as wealthy ones. Would North of Montana tolerate a council member privately coordinating with developers during public hearings?

✅ Lawful governance. California law requires impartial decision-makers. When three of six voters have conflicts, the decision is compromised.

✅ Public trust. If the City can rubber-stamp a $13.5 million, 99-year deal with conflicted votes, what else is being decided behind closed doors?

✅ Precedent. If we accept this, we accept that conflicts of interest are the price of doing business in Santa Monica.

WHAT WE'RE DEMANDING

1. VOID THE DECEMBER 17, 2024 DDA VOTE  Agenda Item 11.A — The original approval is legally compromised and cannot stand. The Development Agreement with Hollywood Community Housing Corporation should be invalid. 

2. REQUIRE A LAWFUL REVOTE - All conflicted council members must recuse. The vote must restart with a new motion by qualified members, not a rubber-stamp ratification.

3. FULL DISCLOSURE - Release all communications between council members and HCHC representatives. The public deserves to see the full record.

4. INDEPENDENT INVESTIGATION - The City Attorney must investigate and issue a public determination on whether the vote violated California ethics law.

5. REFORM COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT - No more "outreach" processes influenced by the interests they're supposed to inform the public about.

STAY ENGAGED. KEEP FIGHTING. SPEAK TRUTH TO POWER.

This fight isn't over. Here's how you can help:

📧 EMAIL THE COUNCIL — smtransparency.netlify.app

📍 SHOW UP JANUARY 13 — City Council Meeting, 1685 Main Street, 5:30 PM

🔗 SEE THE EVIDENCE — smtransparency.netlify.app

📣 SHARE THIS PETITION — smtransparency.netlify.app

TO OUR NEIGHBORS:

They told us we were "misinformed." They held meetings where our questions were ignored. They made deals in private emails while we testified in public.

We weren't misinformed. We were right.

The public records prove it. Now we need your voice to demand accountability.

Follow the links and send a letter. Share it with your neighbors. Show up at City Hall.

Because when ordinary residents stand together, we can hold power accountable.

Mid-Wilshire Neighbors and Santa Monica Neighbors Fighting for transparency, accountability, and equal treatment